When the sheets were pulled off the all-new BMW M6 last spring at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, we all knew something good was afoot.

Packing BMW’s latest 560 horsepower twin-turbo V8 “M” engine wedged into a slightly tweaked version of the sleek and sexy redesigned 6-Series body, the new M6 looked like a winner from nearly every angle. There was no question that BMW’s ultimate GT car needed to be dragged out for a proper shakedown, so after a string of emails and a bit of patience, the mighty M6 found its way into my test schedule so I could see if it would live up to its legacy.

For starters, the new M6 is one beautiful piece of kit. The standard 6-Series already set a solid benchmark as an understated yet elegant coupe, but once BMW’s M-division was done with its relatively minor updates to the bodywork the end result had just enough muscular tone to suit the powertrain it carries.

The styling touches are somewhat predictable, from the flared wheel arches to the gaping air vents in the front fascia and right down to the carbon-fibre roof, but as with any good formula the end result does exactly what we’ve all come to expect from any BMW sporting an M badge (except for the X5M/X6M, which are a whole other point of discussion).

The interior package in the new M6 is equally predictable. Clad in vast amounts of carbon fibre and leather, the M6 once again ticks all the boxes for a properly quick and comfortable GT car. The steering wheel is appropriately beefy, and unlike some previous versions the shift paddles for the new seven-speed twin clutch gearbox no longer feel like flimsy plastic bits that you may accidentally rip off while grabbing your next gear.

The M6’s overly adjustable sport seats keep you firmly wedged in place and with the centre stack angled in toward the driver there’s a particularly cockpit-like experience to be had behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, BMW is still having issues sorting out a proper cup-holder assembly. On my first day at the wheel I inadvertently placed the vehicle’s key in the cup-holder compartment and closed the lid. When I arrived at my destination the lid refused to open, forcing me into a 20-minute wrestling match until the lid snapped open with a loud crack. Of all things to not be up to snuff on a $100,000-plus car, you’d expect something this simple to be trouble-free.

All that aside, the biggest surprise in the interior is the ongoing lack of rear passenger space. BMW didn’t build the new 6-Series much longer than the previous generation, gaining no more than an inch in overall length, and instead of making a hair more room for rear-seat passengers they decided to add two cubic feet of cargo space. I get that this is meant to be more of a two-person cruiser, but you’d think at this size it wouldn’t hurt to try to make the rear seat at least a bit more tolerable than the back seat of a Porsche 911.

Once the usual seat fiddling has come and gone and I’m hustling about town, it’s easy to spot the big differences in this new M6 drivetrain. While many BMW purists are underwhelmed with the idea of a turbocharged M-engine and the loss of the high-revving V10, I’m quite pleased with the upgrade. The V10 M6 was admittedly glorious to listen to, but it wasn’t a very usable engine unless you were lead-footing it.

The new engine, on the other hand, builds power instantly and just keeps pushing. At slower speeds and in urban settings the “efficient” engine setting is needed to keep the car from being too jerky, but as soon as the road opens up, the near-instant throttle response in “sport plus” mode quickly helps you forget about any forced-induction gripes.

From a driving perspective, the new M6 lives up quite well to expectations. With the suspension dialed to its stiffest setting, the M6 shows very little pitch and roll, but it’s still soft enough to not feel too abusive over rougher roads. After all, the M6 is still meant to be more of a cruiser than a track car with licence plates, so the level of compliance isn’t much of a surprise.

It rolls through corners beautifully, though the biggest challenge on damp pavement is avoiding oversteer everywhere you go. As with most brands, BMW still hasn’t quite found perfection when it comes to electric power steering, and the stiffest setting for the M6 is a bit over the top. Overall steering feel is reasonable for a car of this size, however it just doesn’t feel as connected to the road as I would have hoped.

Unlike the M5, which overwhelmed me with its sheer size, the new M6 feels right in line with expectation. Built to be one part streamlined executive and two parts violent autobahn rocket, the M6 is ready to woo anyone who was second guessing the loss of two cylinders.